Calcium levels and limestone particle size in the diet of commercial layers at the end of the first production cycle

dc.creatorK Pelicia
dc.creatorE Garcia
dc.creatorC Móri
dc.creatorABG Faitarone
dc.creatorAP Silva
dc.creatorAB Molino
dc.creatorF Vercese
dc.creatorDA Berto
dc.date2009
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T03:22:57Z
dc.descriptionThis study evaluated the effect of dietary calcium levels and limestone particle size distribution on first-cycle layer performance and egg quality. A completely randomized experimental design in 4x3 factorial arrangement (four Ca levels - 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5%; and three limestone particle size distributions - 100% fine, 50% fine and 50% coarse, 30% fine and 70% coarse) was applied, totaling 12 treatments with six replicates of eight birds each. The treatments did not influence the most of evaluated performance and internal and external egg quality parameters. However, limestone particle size distribution quadratically affected with percentage of defective eggs, with the lowest percentage obtained with the distribution 61.75% fine limestone and 38.25% coarse limestone. Increasing dietary Ca levels significantly increased eggshell weight per surface area and the percentage of Ca excreted in the feces. It was concluded that the combination of the highest dietary Ca level (4.5%) with 50% replacement of fine-particle limestone by coarse limestone results in better eggshell and increases the number of marketable eggs.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifier1516-635X
dc.identifierhttps://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=179713994003
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/432137
dc.languageen
dc.publisherFundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas
dc.relationhttp://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=1797
dc.rightsRevista Brasileira de Ciência Avícola
dc.sourceRevista Brasileira de Ciência Avícola (Brasil) Num.2 Vol.11
dc.subjectAgrociencias
dc.titleCalcium levels and limestone particle size in the diet of commercial layers at the end of the first production cycle
dc.typeartículo científico

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